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Debug Ardupilot#

Ardupilot Debugging with GDB using VSCode

Setting up SITL#

Config and Build#

./waf configure --debug

build with debug symbol#

# ardupilot/Tools/autotest
./sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter -f quad -D

# -D, --debug         build with debugging

check if has debug symbols

file arducopter
#
arducopter: ELF 64-bit LSB pie executable, x86-64, version 1 (GNU/Linux), dynamically linked, interpreter /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2, BuildID[sha1]=eb51dfafe7a6f361a1f661d012e9cdd8006b4595, for GNU/Linux 3.2.0, 
with debug_info,
not stripped

Add VSCode launch config#

attach
{
    "name": "(gdb) Attach Copter",
    "type": "cppdbg",
    "request": "attach",
    "program": "${workspaceFolder}/build/sitl/bin/arducopter",
    "processId": "${command:pickProcess}",
    "MIMode": "gdb",
    "setupCommands": [
        {
            "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
            "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
            "ignoreFailures": true
        }
    ]
}

Set breakpoint#

Demo handleMessage#

Entry points from mavlink message from GCS or CC

Ardupilot code stuct with common function for all type of vehicles (copter, plan, rover ..) and specific implementation for vehicle (ArduCopter)

  • ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
  • libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common

To catch entry point for message handler place breakpoint at:

  • Set breakpoint at GCS_MAVLINK::handle_common_message file: GCS_Common.cpp
  • Set breakpoint at GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::handleMessage file: ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
  • The above function has case conditions the default one call the GCS_MAVLINK::handle_common_message function: handle_common_message